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Friday, June 8, 2012

Eating healthy the southern European way

To
Feel Good, Mediterranean Diet is Way to Go

Southern
Europe has been getting a lot of
negative attention lately due to the financial crisis in the Eurozone.

At this time, it is
important to remember much of the good which comes out of this region.

This is especially true of
the Mediterranean cuisine. It is not only delicious but also linked with a
lower chance of illness and greater well-being.

A new study has just been
released by researchers from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and
the University of
Navarra which shows how
the Mediterranean diet is linked to both physical and mental health.

Studies have shown that
people who eat it have a lesser risk of chronic illness and a lower mortality
rate. The new study analyzed how this diet also influences quality of life by
surveying over 11,000 university students over four years.

"The progressive aging
of the population in developed countries makes it even more interesting to find
out those factors that can increase quality of life and the health of the
population," as explained to SINC by Patricia Henríquez Sánchez,
researcher at the centre in the Canary Islands and lead author of the study.

Respondents were asked at
the beginning of the study to describe their dietary intake. After four years,
they were asked about their self-perceived quality of life. Their diet was
monitored over this period to see if the Mediterranean diet was followed.

In this regard, vegetables,
pulses, fruit, nuts, cereals, and fish were given positive values. Meat, dairy
products, and alcohol were given negative values. The survey results showed a
strong link with the Mediterranean diet and mental and physical quality of
life.

The researchers stress the importance
of the Mediterranean Food Pyramid. They say that the main meals of the day show
always include some kind of cereals, fruit and vegetable, and dairy product.

Olive oil should be the
main source of fat. 1.5-2 liters of water is recommended, as well as moderate
consumption of wine and other fermented beverages.

The top of the pyramid are
sugar, sweets, cakes, pastries, and sugary beverages. These should be consumed
occasionally and in small amounts.